One night after headlining Wembley Arena, Foo Fighters returned to London to play an intimate secret gig in Camden. The American rockers performed an epic set for 500 fans, billed under the name White Limo.

"This is not an arena rock show," frontman Dave Grohl announced upon taking the stage at Dingwalls. "This is something different. We're gonna be here a long time, so get comfortable." The group were true to their word, playing the entirety of their forthcoming album, Wasting Light – and returned for a greatest hits set, including Everlong and This Is a Call. The surprise gig reportedly ran for almost three hours.

Dingwalls has little in common with the site of Foo Fighters' next two UK shows, at the gargantuan National Bowl in Milton Keynes in July. But Grohl, who received NME's Godlike Genius award on Wednesday, told the magazine he relishes the chance to play smaller venues. "There's something about doing clubs and sneaky little gigs that's really exciting," he said. "Because you feel like you can be loose and it's so intimate that you don't have to become this 'thing' and fill up the room." Recently, the band played a series of gigs at tiny venues across Los Angeles, footage from which will reportedly appear in a documentary due in March.

While secret gigs are by no means new, thanks to Facebook and Twitter they are currently a hot – and welcome – trend. Arcade Fire played a covert concert ahead of their Grammys win, and the likes of Lady Gaga, Kanye West and Katy Perry have performed surprise sets over the past year.